Chapter 1 My engagement party

Chapter 1

My engagement party was planned down to the last exquisite detail, but not by me. Just like my engagement itself, the family elders took care of all the arrangements.

The guests started whispering as I passed by. A Bianchi wedding is a big deal for everyone, but it's even more so because I'm marrying Ethan Harris Montello.

Everyone here is probably betting on whether Ethan and I will actually get married. That's how unbelievable this all seems.

My father is in the middle of the room, standing with Lucan Montello and another man whose back is turned to me. I walked closer to them.

"Ah. And here is my daughter," Daddy said as I approached. "Finally, principessa. You've come to join us. What took you so long?" he asked.

I forced a smile. "Well, I was trying to make my escape. But it turns out the window in my room is too high, so I thought I'd take my chances with this party instead," I said, and Mr. Montello, Ethan's father, nearly choked on his wine at my words. The others fell silent, while my father burst into loud laughter, which made me roll my eyes inwardly.

"Well, we're honored that you decided to join us. This is your party, after all. Now, without further ado, it's time to introduce you to your betrothed. Chiara, this is Ethan, your fiancé," Daddy said.

"Hello, Chiara." My first glimpse of him sent a jolt through me. He's even more attractive than I was led to believe.

Broad shoulders, a strong jaw, sculpted cheeks. In that crisp designer suit, his presence is undeniable, and it's undeniable that he has an effect on me. But he's a Montello, so I need to keep my composure.

"Hello," I greeted him with minimal enthusiasm.

"Come on. Surely you can muster a little more excitement. You're meeting your fiancé for the first time, after all," he said, but I remained silent.

"Maybe she's saving her enthusiasm for the wedding night," Ethan's father joked, making me want to gag. I frowned and quickly looked away at the other guests.

"Or maybe she's just being true to how she feels. I doubt she's thrilled to be marrying me," Ethan remarked, making me turn to him in surprise. I didn't expect him to speak up for me.

But he shows no sign of solidarity with me. He just stares blankly back.

Is he this emotionless all the time? We're about to get married, but when he looks at me, it's as if I'm just a piece of paper to him.

"I'm sure any woman would be thrilled to marry someone like you, my son. Your prowess is unmatched," his father said, laughing softly, though I couldn't tell if it was sarcastic towards me or his father.

"Though I suppose not every woman appreciates a powerful, alpha man. Not every woman can handle it," Mr. Montello continued, making me cross my arms and glare at him.

"And not every man can handle an independent, capable woman. I suppose we'll see, won't we?" I boldly retorted before turning to look at Ethan.

Something flickered across Ethan's face, but I couldn't quite tell what it was. Amusement? Irritation? Well, it's hard to read the man I'm about to marry. I rolled my eyes internally.

"She's a brave one, Carlo. I suppose she gets that from her mother too, not just her looks," Mr. Montello said with a smile.

"Bianchi women are always spirited, but once you earn their loyalty, they'll stand by your side through thick and thin," Dad said proudly.

"Good to hear," Mr. Montello replied.

"If Ethan wants to earn my loyalty, he has his work cut out for him," I said, which made Ethan suddenly laugh.

"I find most people bend to my will easily enough. I'm sure it won't be any different with you," he said, and I gasped at his words, but eventually, I smirked back at him.

"Then I wish you luck, Montello. You'll need it with me."

"We'll see, Bianchi," I said sarcastically, though the truth was, I really wanted to grab the gun from Daddy's pocket and shoot the man in front of me.

He met my challenging gaze with a confident smirk. He didn't look intimidated at all. In fact, it seemed like he was enjoying seeing me irritated with him. Marrying this man is definitely not a good idea.

"Well, look at this! Sparks are already flying. Perhaps you and I should play matchmaker more often, Lucan," Dad said to Ethan's father, which immediately made me frown.

"But is it a match made in heaven or hell? Only time will tell," Mr. Montello said with a laugh.

Ethan's lips curled, but he maintained that cool exterior. His intense eyes were fixed on me, as if studying my every move.

Pushing Ethan's buttons could turn out to be surprisingly fun, but I know Dad wants me to keep the peace.

But because he annoyed me, I have no intention of keeping the peace between us.

"What do you think, Montello? Will being married to me feel more like heaven or hell?" I teased, and he suddenly grinned before slowly approaching me. We were just an inch apart.

"There's a third option, you know. Purgatory." His face remained as flat as his tone. Needling him isn't as easy as I'd hoped.

I rolled my eyes and quickly looked away. My chest was rising and falling with irritation. I swear, I'd bury him alive!

"Perhaps we should speak alone, Chiara," he said, making me look at him again. What is he up to? I glared at him from head to toe. "Well, you know, we can talk without our interfering fathers looking over our shoulders," he added, making me pause and consider his suggestion. Well, he has a point.

"Fine, I guess I could show you the gardens," I said.

"Let's go then," he replied with a small smile, which I inwardly rolled my eyes at.

Ethan didn't even bother to feign interest in the gardens. He looked unimpressed by everything Bianchi, including me.

Right, the only thing that matters to Ethan Harris Montello is his business. He's all about making money and spending it. What a man.

I crossed my arms as I faced him, looking at him with disinterest. "So, why did you want us to speak alone?" I asked.

"Why do you think? It wouldn't hurt for us to get to know each other better before our big day," he said, making me grimace.

"It might hurt," I said, and he suddenly chuckled softly, shaking his head.

"Maybe, but just the right amount of pain can feel a lot like pleasure," he said, and my eyes widened at his words. Wait, am I thinking the right thing? Or is my mind just going dirty? But then he flashed a mischievous grin, confirming my suspicion. Damn him!

"Don't believe me? I'd be happy to prove it to you any time you like. How about right now?"

My cheeks instantly flushed as he gently stroked them. We've only been alone for five minutes, and he's already making innuendos. We haven't even properly greeted each other yet.

I quickly pushed him away from me. "Thanks for your generous offer, but I'm going to have to decline. I've been saving myself for my wedding night," I said as I hugged myself, and he chuckled softly again.

"Yes, your father mentioned that..."

"What? That I'm a virgin? I'm not ashamed that I decided to wait. I thought I'd marry for love, not politics."

Though that decision seems like a waste now. I'm not marrying for love; I'm marrying someone I hate. Have I really missed out on my chance to know true passion? Ethan's ice-cold. I thought my marriage would have more heat.

He sighed.

"For the record, this isn't how I imagined my future either. In fact, I planned to never get married at all."

"Really? Why?" I asked, puzzled.

"Do I strike you as the sentimental type, Chiara? I prefer to be on my own," he said without emotion.

"What about love?" I asked, and he smirked.

"Love? I don't know that word, Bianchi. For me... love is a weakness, and I have no weaknesses." I took a deep breath before smiling bitterly. I hear the truth. Now, I know where our future is heading.

"Strange, isn't it? We only just met tonight, and next week we'll be married," he sighed too.

"Yeah. It's a short engagement. I guess they just didn't want to give us time to back out," he said, hands in his pockets.

"Everything's happening so fast. A few weeks ago, you were my enemy. Now I'm meeting you tonight as my fiancé," I said, taking a deep breath to calm myself.

"We've barely spoken to each other-"

"-and we haven't even kissed yet."

"Yeah-Huh? Wh-What?!" I was stunned and felt like I had misheard him. I quickly wiped away the tears forming in my eyes, becoming emotional while he...

To Be Continued..